From teacher to actor to social worker, Stuart Fensterheim, is making his mark helping couples reconnect with the people that are most important to in their lives. He does this with his direct work with couples (couples counseling as well as retreats), and he also does it with over 10,000 people in 26 countries through the podcast that he launched eight months ago.
As the host of “The Couples Expert” podcast, Stuart brings his heartfelt and humorous voice to tackle important relationship issues that affect us all. While his podcast is certainly a calling, he’s also using it to successfully build his practice and attract clients to his private practice in Scottsdale, AZ.
I always love innovative private practice marketing approaches, so I couldn’t wait to interview Stuart for this podcast, “Profiles in Practice Success”. During our interview, Stuart shares his experience in private practice, as well as in podcasting, including:
- His best advice for therapists and counselors wanting to start a podcast
- The right equipment to get started, and why its so important
- The biggest turnoff with many podcasts, and how to avoid it
- How his podcast has contributed to the success of his private practice
- His recommendation for transitioning from an insurance-based practice to a fully fee-for-service practice (He did this without losing a single client!)
Stuart was speaking my language when he stressed the importance of using marketing to build an email list. This is what I refer to as the “nurture” sequence of online marketing, and it’s one that’s often overlooked by psychotherapists. (Click here to download a copy of the 4-step strategic process I recommend for marketing private practices online.)
The 4-Step Strategic Process for Attracting Clients Online The (It AIN’T About the Website)
When a client visits your website, they are entering into relationship with you. Chances are, they’re not quite ready to pick up the phone and call you. In fact, they might not even be convinced that they really need therapy at this point. But by providing valuable resources for them, you are inviting them to begin trusting you.
The next step is to continue to nurture this relationship over time through email, and you’ll be positioned for success. This happens over time. My experience has been that many clients will be on your email list for six months before they are ready to call you. Stuart said that after 8 months of his podcast, he’s now beginning to get clients that call him because of the great content he’s sharing.
So if you are interested in starting a podcast, it’s good to start with the end in mind. How are you going to leverage this work to share your message and build your practice?
This will not only help you fit this strategically into your marketing plan, it will also help you identify your unique voice and message. As Stuart points out in this interview, there are lots of other podcasts out there, so you need to find the angle that fits you and resonates with your potential clients.
Creating content with your potential clients in mind will allow you to create relevant, engaging content, and it will also position you to build your email list to further market your practice. When you’ve got strong relationships that you’ve nurtured over time through email, you’ll notice this with the clients you serve. For instance, Stuart has found that his new clients already “know” and trust him when they walk in the door, and this doubles the speed of his counseling work.
In addition to establishing relationships with potential counseling clients, a strong email list also gives you a foundation to market beyond a traditional private practice. When people already know and like you’re work, they are much more interested in attending events and purchasing products from you.
If you’re interested in learning more about Stuart and his podcast, visit his website at http://www.thecouplesexpertscottsdale.com/. You can listen to his podcasts and learn more about the couples retreats that he offers.
